Madison Paper Industries

The history of Madison Paper Industries (MPI) is one of a company with remarkable heritage. The manufacturing Investment Company originally occupied the property on which Madison Paper is currently located. It was purchased in 1889 so that the company might build a sulfite pulp mill. One of Manufacturing Investment’s original investors was Vermont native and incumbent President Calvin Coolidge. As a New Englander, Coolidge recognized the potential for the mill predicated upon its proximity to water, hydropower, high quality wood resources and a community renown for its work ethic.

The Company’s revitalization began in 1978, when the Myllykoski Corporation based in Finland, purchased the property. In 1980, Myllykoski joined forces with the New York Times Company and, in 1981, completed a $200 million modernization project. The result of the investment was North America’s first Tampella pressurized groundwood (PGW) pulp, and a state-of-the-art Valmet paper machine. MPI became the first mill in the United States dedicated entirely to the manufacture of supercalendered paper. Madison’s “Symmetry” quickly established itself as the industry standard because of its superior characteristics, utilizing state-of-the-art technology.

From its inception MPI recognized the value and necessity of industry leading technology and has established an infrastructure designed to keep ahead of its competitors. The mill has recently been expanded and today processes 130,000 cords of wood and employs five pressurized Tampella magazine 7000 horsepower stone grinders, two Sprout Waldron rejects refiners, two Tampella 200 pressure screens in conjunction with three Beloit Rauma deckers.

Madison’s new wet end enables the company to produce a sheet with remarkable uniform surfaces on both sides. As a consequence, it offers superior runability and printability in high-speed web offset and rotogravure printing applications.

Madison’s obsession for quality extends into its shipping operations. Every roll is bar-coded so that it might be tracked from production, to loading and ultimately to its arrival at its final destination.

Additionally, Madison’s roll tracking data is the source of the vital information required to ensure that its products meet or exceed customer expectations.

In keeping with its commitment to continually upgrading its service, in 1998, Madison installed a “Twister” roll wrap system, the first of its kind in North America. The new system helps ensure a better-wrapped product and provides improved protection of the paper rolls while they are in transit.

In 2001, MPI completed a 52.6 million dollar modernization of the PM3 wet end.

In the Maine tradition, Madison people place a high value on excellence in every aspect of their work. Madison’s men and women are skilled, dedicated people, working together as a company wide team to achieve the highest possible level of excellence in product and performance for Madison’s customers. They are competent people who constantly strive to improve on the outstanding quality and consistency that Symmetry supercalendered paper offers their customers.

Madison offers advanced training and encourages continuing education. Almost a third of Madison’s people participate in formal education programs at any given time. At Madison, training is an everyday event.

So that it might better address the diversified needs of the global marketplace, in 1996, Madison Internationals Sales Company was created. Headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut and with a sales office in Chicago, Illinois, Madison International has become a trusted source for a wide spectrum of high-performance, high quality papers and represents eleven world-renowned mills in the U.S., Finland, Germany, Great Britain and Switzerland.

With an eye to growth and continued quality and productivity, Madison Paper Industries continues to research and employ the newest in pulping and papermaking technology. Based upon its long and distinguished heritage in rural Maine, MPI has become a company with an international reputation for excellence.